Posted on 01/31/2006 6:01:54 PM PST by blam
Kenyans are 'insulted' by dog food offer
By Mike Pflanz in Nairobi
(Filed: 01/02/2006)
A New Zealand businesswoman has provoked outrage in Kenya by promising to ship 42 tons of dog food mix to feed starving children.
"It is immoral. It is unacceptable," said John Munyes, Kenya's special programmes minister, who is co-ordinating the response to the drought that has put up to four million people at risk of starvation. He added: "I am offended. It is demeaning."
Christine Drummond, a pet-food manufacturer, said she planned to send Kenya 6,000 emergency packs of Mighty Mix dog biscuit containing freeze-dried pork, beef, chicken and mutton as well as flax seed, green-lipped mussels and deer velvet.
Mrs Drummond claims to eat it herself and says she gives it to her children.
"I sprinkle it on my porridge in the morning, and also on my lunch or tea, and it just gives me that wee pick-up," she told The Press newspaper in Canterbury, New Zealand.
Kenya has declared a national disaster because of food shortages which followed poor rains.
good god
I also heard that they refused to eat food from the US because the corn, etc. was "genetically modified."
The stuff sounded pretty yummy until I got to the 'green-lipped mussels' part.
That's in there to help with osteoarthritis. A frequent problem in dogs, as in humans.
If a company offered to buy dog food to send them I could see being offended, but here a company that makes a wholesome and nutritious foodstuff intended for consumption by dogs but otherwise better food than many people in the world eat every day offers the food they have on hand to relieve a famine. One answer is a polite "No, thank you". IMHO the correct answer is "Yes, please, may I have some more, please". Should this guy make a decision to cause the death of children because of his own pride?
My opinion may be affected by a personal experience. I was working at a factory in a city I had never been to before. After several hours, I went outside to take a break. Outside the plant I could smell this delicious odor. I looked around and noticed for the first time that the factory I was working at was next door to a Purina plant.
I can see why the sound of eating dog food is a turnoff--but the way I see it, it is indeed better than nothing.
Though from the sound of it, I don't think I'll be at her house for dinner anytime soon...
"We are such a proud and great people we would rather our children starve than eat the kindess of infidels!"
Is this even true?
Dog food is more expensive than many canned human foods.
It's not about pride, it's the fact that dog food is just that, dog food. It lacks the substances you find in proper human food. And plus, have you ever tasted dog food before?
Many years ago I became acquainted with the owners of a very high quality pet food plant. Their dog and cat foods were actually beef stew, chicken stew, etc. They served it daily in the company lunch room and the workers willingly ate the good hot free lunch. The stuff is still marketed, and I can guarantee you that if I were starving, I'd gladly eat it.
Are you insinuating that Kenyans are worth less than dogs? I happen to be of Kenyan origin (was born there), and to be honest find the phrasing of that statement rather insulting.
The decision to not accept the offer may be tantamount to looking a gift horse in the mouth (and to be honest the people in the afflicted regions could probably use the food right now ....and note that it is the government officials who are refusing this, and all of these officials are in the greater area of the nation that happens to have lots of food and not the areas that are dustbowls), however saying it is insulting to dogs for Kenyans to eat their food is quite caustic. Especially coming from a Freeper. However I guess that is to be expected ....after all they are just Kenyans who are so 'worthless' that even dogs should be insulted of them.
The interesting thing is I remember some weeks after 9-11 a Maasai village that lived in what is tantamount to the Kenyan boondocks (they basically live a traditional lifestyle, and are some of the people worst hit by this famine) actually offered cattle to the United States. They collected some of their finer cattle and offered it to the US. Now, that act may seem absolutely ridiculous (a few poor tribespeople offering a bunch of scraggly cattle), until one realizes the significance of cattle to the Maasai. That is their entire life (since they still adhere to the traditional ways),and thus the act had a lot of significance. It is the single biggest gift they can give. Especially considering that they are dirt poor by ANY standard ....apart from their scraggly cattle.
However now I learn that they are so worthless that even dogs should be insulted if they touched their food. Silly worthless Kenyans .....they should have known better.
/sarcasm.
Common sense.
Send me some too.
I remember when some Congressman or Senator was talking about his elderly constituents having to eat dog food because of the evil Republicans.
He stated that her favorite was "mighty dog".
Of course several people pointed out that it was possible to buy all kinds of good human food sold for mcuh less than that particular brand.
The stuff sounded pretty yummy until I got to the 'green-lipped mussels' part.
Ever look an oyster in the eye?
That was Zimbabwe. The people wanted it but the government wouldn't relase it.
That is a good point. It is probably not the starving ones who are refusing it.
I remember that and was moved by the offer.
Hey, it was good enough for the Road Warrior. : )
'Recipe' brand canned dog food began as a beef stew for humans.
When it didn't go over well, the manufacturer dropped a dog biscuit into the can, hired "Lassie" to promote it and the rest is history.
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